Dhaka cut off from 10 Khulna districts

This July 2, 2012 Star file photo shows that buses did not move out of Khulna central bus terminal as transport owners and workers went on an indefinite strike.

Bus services between the capital and 10 southeastern districts of Khulna division remain suspended from Monday morning as the workers enforced a wildcat indefinite strike demanding hike in their wages.

The Khulna regional committee of Transport Workers Federation, the mother organisation of 34 transport workers’ unions in the division, called the indefinite strike following unsuccessful negotiation with the Bangladesh Bus-Truck Owners' Association.

The districts under the purview of strike are: Jessore, Khulna, Satkhira, Bagerhat, Narail, Jhenidah, Chuadanga, Meherpur, Kushtia and Magura, reported our Jessore correspondent.

"We announced an ultimatum to the leaders of Bus-Truck Owners Association about three months ago for raising workers' wages. But they did not pay any heed on the demand," Azizul Alam Mintu, president of Bangladesh Poribahan Sangstha Sromik Samity, told The Daily Star.

Representatives from both the groups met Sunday night in Gabtoli in the capital. But the meeting, which ended early Monday, ended without any decision, he added.

"This forced us to enforce the indefinite strike," he said.

The owners are paying Tk 1,200 for driver, Tk 500 for supervisor and Tk 450 for helper for Dhaka- Chittagong round trip, he said.

"The same owners are paying Tk 900 for driver, Tk 350 for supervisor and Tk 370 for helper who are working in buses plying between Dhaka and different southeastern districts, though distance is more here," said Mintu.

The other inter-district and local routes remain out of the purview of the district.